The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-09-23
An indian Millionaire.

EaG any one predicted qua-ter OF
e. tury aco hat an American Indian
would build a railroad he would have
Ieeu considered lit object for luna
'ia asylum. But to-day the people OF
Newton county, No. a county adjoin-
.lg the Indian Territory, have Wit !
messed a scene such as man has never |
before bsheld. Matthias Sriitlog halt /.
Cavuga and half Nyandotte ludian, I
born In an Indian village in Canada,
ro-day at Neasho drove the first spike
TO- the Kansas City, Fort smith \ south
e-r Railway. This division of the
Kansas City, Fort Smith \ Southern
Railway was chartered the oth OF last
March under the laws Of the State Of
3, 5auri, with = capital OF $ 600, 900,
a.a now there are about thirty-fve
II. ..tas graded and ready for the iron.
AIr Splitl-q has furnished the ''sin-
ows Vi war" olt ot his own ample for
tune. aud is backed by heavy capitalists
% complete the road. anu before the
lst g! next January he will have the cars
rUnuing from Joplin, in Jasper county,
H. the town Of SpIit,og, in Mcdonald
county, a distance of about thirty i've
z-.es, AID Matthias SJhtlog, the NIL
,ionaiTe, Indian, who is probably the
richest man of his race, will heuceforth
De known all over the country as the
only indian railroad man tat least the
first) IN the United States or in the
whole would.
Iae orcas;on of driving .he first
pike on the main line of this new road
was q matter o. more than ordinary in
te-est 10 the people os Neoshe. At 30
th,re were about one thousand people
,,sse wh!ed at the point where the main
liDy crosses the Frisco track. After
music by the Indian band from the
Territory, and selections Ay the Neoshe
band, Mt Charles ". Smith, Auditor
Of the construction company, held the
spike in position, and in four bold
strokes Nlr. Sph,log drove the spike
home into q carefully selected white
OAK tie. Cheer after cheer was given
for the road, Matthias Splitlog, Neosho
and the enterprise, alter which many
came TO the track to look at the spike.
Mv. SplitloE welded the sIedge with a
familiarity ana precision which lEdi-
Gated that he had used his sedge with
Eooj effect when he built his steamboat
on the Detroit River.
Mr.. Splitlog was born In the year
ISL, and while boy was appreut;ced
TO" carpenter ana mi.lwright, and, al
though bis wages were only 8 per month,
Young SpliJ!og thought he was getting
rich. lie imbIbed a love for machinery
and inventions which has made his life
usoiu! and eyentful one. In the year
1872 young Splitlog joined the Wyau-
do,tes, who were the last of the Indian
tribes then in Ohio. Ia 1913 Splitloc
came West with some # the tribe, and
found, alter his arrival at Westport
landing NOW Kansas City, that he only
had 80 cents in his pocket. lie induced
an Old Indian 10 go his security Tor the
price OF An axe. With this aNe he cut
corGwCCi for the steamboats, at % cents
per cord, and, after paying Cor the axe,
which cost s., he soon saved enough 10
buy pony.
AbouC the year 1916 he married Eliza
Barnett, = agrauGniece Of Harry Jacques.
the Old Indian who went his security
for the price OF the axe. Her father
was head chief of the Wyandoltes when
lie died IN ISIS. Her mother was a
part Hyaudotto and part Seneca Indian.
They Enve a family oi five children
four soas and enc daugetey. Splitlor
was never idle, and in most Of his under
takiHgs he was successful. At an early
day Ac built a mil near Wyandotte.
whic' was frs. run by horse power and
Afterwards 10y steam. Spitlog's mill
was a luccss5 and was long an old land
mark near Wyandotte. lie began 70
speculate in real estate, and, although
he can neither read nor write, he has
been one Of the most successful specu.
I"tors ia The neighborhood OF Kansas
City, and is to-day worth over $1,000
OJo. Many interesting incidents could
hv written IN connection with his use
tul life.